Shoestring fastener



V May 14, 1940. l C. 1 Rlo 2,200,895

SHOESTRING FASTENER Filed sept. 15. 1959 Patented May 14, 1940 UNITEDySTATES PATENT GFFICE Clarence J. Rio, Tyler, Pa.

Application September 13, 1939, Serial No. 294,728

This invention relates to a Shoestring fastener and it is one object ofthe invention to provide a device of Claims.

this character having a shell or sta- Another object of the invention isto provide the shell with a pin serving as a guide for the movable jawand also as a carrier for a spring which urges the movable jaw towardgripping position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable jaw having abore through which the pin passes and a recess in its upper portionconstituting a seat for the spring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe string fastenerwherein the shell or stationary jaw is provided with means for securingthe same to the tongue of a shoe in such position that the end portionsof the lace may be easily passed through the same and tightened. It willthus be seen that the fastener will be securely held to the not be lost.

Another tongue in its proper position and will object of the inventionis to provid a fastener which will be neat in appearance and not beunsightly when in use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the improved shoestring fastenerappliedrto the tongue of a shoe and in use.

Fig. 2 is fastener.

an enlarged front elevation of the Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thefastener. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken vertically through thefastener on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken verticallyl through the fastener on theline 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken transversely through the fastener onthe line 5 8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is fastener.

a fragmentary rear elevation ofy the substantially U-shaped formationand has a thick bridge 2 and front and rear walls 3 and 4,

lower portions of the front and rear walls being connected by edge walls5 constituting gripping members.

The stationary shell or jaw I is open atits lower end and also open atits sides between the gripping members or edge walls and its upper end,thus permitting the end portions 5 of the Shoestring I to be passedupwardly through the shell and out through the side openings thereof. Aslot 8 is formed in the front wall longitudinally thereof with its lowerend open and, in order that the fastener may be secured to the tongue 5of the shoe I0, the rear wall has been shown cut to provide prongs IIwhich are passed through the tongue 9 and bent into clinching engagementtherewith, as shown in Fig. 5. It is to be understood that other meansfor securing the fastener to the shoe tongue may be employed instead ofthe prongs II.

The movable jaw I2 consists of a wedge shaped block which tapersdownwardly in conformity to the taper of the edge walls 5 of the shell,as Ishown in Fig. 4, and is of such dimensions that when it is moveddownwardly, it will have wedging fit between these edge walls. A bore orpassage I3 is formed longitudinally through the wedge or movable jaw I2with its lower end terminating at the lower end of the jaw and its upperend opening into a recess I4 formed in the upper end portion of the jaw.'I'his recess constitutes a seat for the lower portion of a spring I5coiled about a pin I6 which extends downwardly from the thick bridge 2of the shell I with its lower portion engaged in the passage I3. The pinIB seryes as a guide for the movable jaw and also as a carrier for thespring which serves to urge the movable jaw downwardly for wedging tbetween the edge walls or gripping members 5 of the stationary jaw. Astem or finger engaging member I1 projects forwardly from thel movablejaw through the slot 8 in order that the movable jaw may -be shiftedupwardly when it is desired to release the end portions 6 of theShoestring 1 and allow the string to be loosened and a shoe removed.Teeth I8 are formed on the side edge faces of the wedge or movable jawin order that when the shoestring is tightened, the movable jaw willvery firmly grip the portions of the string passing through the shelland prevent slipping and loosening of the Shoestring.

When this Shoestring fastener is in use, it is applied to the tongue 9of the shoe and held in engagement therewith by the prongs Il or othermeans provided for the purpose. 'I'he free end portions 6 of the shoestring are passed upwardly through the shell between the movable jawandthe gripping portions Aor edge walls 5 and out through the side openingsofthe shell. After the shoe has been put on, the protrudingend portionsof the shoestring are grasped and pull exerted to tighten theShoestring. As the portions 6 of the Shoestring are drawn upwardlythrough the shell or outer jaw, the wedge or inner jaw will be carriedupwardly with them. When the Shoestring has been suiciently tightened,the end portions are released and -the spring I5 moved to move themovable jaw downwardly so that it has wedging iit between the edge wallsor gripping members 5 of the shell and causes the portions 6 of theShoestring to be firmly gripped, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. When it isdesired to loosen the Shoestring for removal of the shoe, the stem II isgrasped and upward thrust exerted to raise the movable jaw. 'I'his willrelease the portions 6 of the Shoestring and the Shoestring may beeasily loosened and the shoe removed. In view of the fact that the pinI6 passes through the bore I3, movement of the jaw I2 will be guided andit will always move into proper wedging position between the grippingmembers 5 of the shell and the pin will also serve to prevent bucklingof the spring.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A Shoestring fastener comprising a shell open at one end and alongopposite sides and adjacent its open end having opposed jaw portions, amovable jaw slidable longitudinally in said shell between said jawportions, said movable jaw being formed with a longitudinally extendingpassage, a pin carried by said shell and passing through said passage toguide movement of the movable jaw, and a spring about said pin urgingthe movable jaw between the opposed jaw portions into position forgripping shoe strings passed through the shell between the movable jawand the opposed jaw portions and out through the side openings of theshell.

2. A Shoestring fastener comprising a substantially U-shaped body havingan upper bridge portion and front and rear walls and being open alongits sides, webs connecting lower portions of the front and rear wallsacross the open sides of the body and constituting stationary jaws, awedge slidable longitudinally in said body between the front and rearwalls and between the stationary jaws and having teeth confronting thestationary jaws for gripping shoestrings passed between the wedge andthe stationary jaw and out through the side openings of the body, saidwedge having a longitudinally extending passage, a pin carried by thebridge of said body and extending downwardly therefrom through thepassage to guide sliding movement of said wedge, and a. spring aboutsaid pin between the bridge and wedge serving to urge the wedgedownwardly between the stationary jaws.

3. A Shoestring fastener comprising a hollow outer member having opposedjaw portions, an inner member slidable longitudinally in the outermember between the opposed jaw portions and constituting a movable jawfor gripping portions of a Shoestring passing through the outer memberbetween the opposed jaw portions and the movable jaw, a pin carried bysaid outer member and passing through a passage formed longitudinallythrough the movable jaw to guide movement of the movable jaw, and aspring about said pin urging said movable jaw toward a stringgrippingposition between the stationary jaw portions of the outer member.

4. A Shoestring fastener comprising a hollow stationary jaw having anopen lower end and side openings for passage of end portions of ashoestring therethrough, a wedge in said stationary jaw constituting amovable jaw shiftable therein into and out of position for clamping ashoestring against portions of the movable jaw below the side openingsthereof, a pin carried by the stationary jaw and engaged through apassage formed longitudinally in the movable jaw, and a spring aboutsaid pin urging said movf'ble jaw downwardly into position fork grippinga shoestring.

5. A Shoestring fastener comprising a hollow stationary jaw havingopposed downwardly converging gripping members, a movable jaw in saidstationary jaw shiftable into and out of gripping position between theopposed gripping members of the stationary jaw, said movable jaw havinga recess in its upper end anda passage leading therefrom to its lowerend, a pin carried by the stationary jaw and extending longitudinallytherein through the recess and the passage of the movable jaw, and aspring about said pin with its upper end bearing against the stationaryjaw and its lower portion disposed within the recess and bearing againstthe movable jaw about the passage, said spring urging the movable jawdownwardly toward its gripping position.

' CLARENCE J. RIO.

